SPOKANE, Wash. — The Spokane Lilac Festival released a statement following a shooting at the Armed Forces Torchlight Parade that left two people hospitalized on Saturday.
The shooting happened around 9 p.m. on May 18 inside a local business on the parade route. The suspect was quickly taken into custody, and the parade was paused.
“Spokane Lilac Festival Association (SFLA) and SPD were in contact throughout the course of the entire incident while the first responders attended to the scene,” SFLA said. “Once determined that the incident was isolated and not a threat to parade spectators or units, the decision was made for the parade to continue on a new route that avoided the scene.”
SFLA said the parade was paused for about 30 minutes while SPD and parade officials made plans to reroute the remaining units.
Some units withdrew from the event after the shooting took place.
“Maintaining calm and public safety were a top priority throughout the course of the incident,” SLFA said. “The SLFA and SPD work in collaboration throughout the year to ensure that the Torchlight Parade is ready and prepared for all situations. The SLFA would like to thank SPD for their quick action and calm handling of the situation, allowing for a safe conclusion to the 2024 parade.”
